We continue with our study of how love is the foundation of the kingdom economy. Because we are told in I Corinthians13:8 that “love never fails,”
we know that if we build on this kingdom principle then we cannot fail. We should also consider that it will be to the degree that we build on love that we will succeed. For this reason, we will take a bit of time to review the biblical definition of love, and how love must be practically applied to our economy.
Love is more than just having good feelings toward someone. Love is practical and maintains its noble character when it would be more advantageous not to. Love endures difficulties and remains even when the love is not returned. Love is not based on circumstances or the hope of reward, but on a nature that is joined to God’s nature.
Last week, we covered the first two characteristics of love described in I Corinthians 13—how love is patient and kind, and a few ways how these might relate to a kingdom business. Now we will continue with the next characteristic and how it can relate to a kingdom enterprise.
“Love . . . is not jealous” (see I Corinthians 13:4).
How strikingly different business would be if businessmen and women never did anything out of reaction to what their competitors did and never spoke evil of them, but rather sought the good of their competitors, even sending them business when they could. That sounds too good to be true, but some have actually done this and prospered.
When I was shopping this past Christmas season and went into a store that turned out not to have what I was looking for, I asked them if they knew where I might get the item. Their reply was a lame “no.” I knew they just did not want to send me to a competitor. I went to the competitor, and they turned out not to have it either. However, not only did they make some recommendations, but they phoned their competitors for me. Next time, I will certainly go to that store first. By thinking of their customer and even their competitor, they won my trust and probably my future business. It is always right to do the right thing. Jealousy will always hurt the one who has it the most.
Many churches feel they are in competition with other churches. Any who feel this way are operating in a spirit of jealousy, regardless of how much they may claim not to be. We are told in Matthew 27:18 that it was because of envy, or jealousy, that Jesus was delivered up to be crucified. Even the heathen ruler, Pilate, could recognize the jealousy of the Sanhedrin in wanting to put Jesus to death. Jealousy is usually easily recognized by even the most simple.
Jealousy kills, is the opposite of love, and will have no place in the kingdom of God. If we are going to build our lives, church, or business, on the kingdom of God, jealousy can have no place in it. This may be the single greatest cause of division in the church. In almost every case, the root of division is the terrible and destructive evil of jealousy. Every single work that has been built with a spirit of jealousy in its framework will ultimately come down, just as the jealousy of the rulers of Israel toward Jesus ultimately resulted in their city being reduced to rubble. Jealousy is an ultimate evil, and the kingdom will have none of it.
The Lord told us that just as we have done to the least of His little ones, we have done it to Him (see Matthew 25:40). How we treat another church is the same way that we are counted to have treated Him. We may condemn the leaders of Israel for what they did, but has the church not been just as guilty as them? This remains a primary reason why many churches are ultimately decimated just as Jerusalem was. What we release in heaven, or the spiritual realm, is released in the world. If the church is going to be able to spiritually spawn and oversee kingdom enterprises, we must not let the leaven of jealousy be sown in them, or they will be doomed. If we allow jealousy to affect our relationships to other churches, it will come out in what our members do as well, and it is a seed that destroys.
When the Lord looks down on a city, He only sees one church, and all of the congregations are members of the one body. If we are in a place where there are multiple churches, most local congregations will specialize and become strong in a certain aspect of ministry. For example, one might be strong in teaching the fundamentals, one in healing, another in evangelism, another in prophecy and guidance, and another in family ministry, and so forth. How much healthier would the body be if the churches all saw themselves as part of a greater whole, and for the sake of the members, sent them to the one that could help them the most where they needed it? If we trusted the Holy Spirit this way, unity would grow in the body in such a way that the whole world would start to marvel at it and maybe believe the gospel we preach about the love of God.
If we have the Spirit of God and another church begins to prosper, we will be happy about it and will support and promote it. If we do that, we too can share in the spiritual fruit of the work. If we have the Spirit of God, we will do the same with other businesses if we truly are building a kingdom enterprise.